GNU bug report logs - #6972
bug in sorting floats

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: saddy <sadmail <at> gmx.de>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: bug in sorting floats
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:25:10 +0200

Hi, I want to sort a file by the 6th column:

test.txt

AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))

There's no sort option to do that correctly:

saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6g test.txt
AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))

saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6n test.txt
AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))

saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6 test.txt
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))


Best regards

Message #8 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: saddy <sadmail <at> gmx.de>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug in sorting floats
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:40:10 +0200

Seems to be fixed since version 8.5.

saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort --version
sort (GNU coreutils) 7.4



Am 02.09.2010 11:25, schrieb saddy:
> Hi, I want to sort a file by the 6th column:
>
> test.txt
>
> AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
> AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
> AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
> AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
> AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
> AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
>
> There's no sort option to do that correctly:
>
> saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6g test.txt
> AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
> AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
> AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
> AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
> AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
> AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
>
> saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6n test.txt
> AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
> AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
> AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
> AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
> AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
>
> saddy <at> lapsdy:~$ sort -k6 test.txt
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
> XopX<- Zw10 ->  XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- DUF3248 ->  XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- Fer2 ->  XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
> AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP ->  XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
> AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
> AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd ->  XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
> AvrBs2<- UPF0302 ->  XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
> AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap ->  XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))
>
>
> Best regards
>

Message #11 received at 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: saddy <sadmail <at> gmx.de>
Cc: 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6972: bug in sorting floats
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:35:19 -0600

On 09/02/2010 03:25 AM, saddy wrote:
> Hi, I want to sort a file by the 6th column:
>
> test.txt
>
> AvrBs2<- Fer2 -> XopE1 0.0844155844155844 ((1.1e+03)*(1.1e+03))
> AvrBs2<- UPF0302 -> XopE1 0 ((40)*(5.2e+02))
> AvrBs1<- Calc_CGRP_IAPP -> XopH 0.1 ((2.6e+02)*(4.2e+02))
> AvrBs2<- DUF3248 -> XopE1 0.0476190476190476 ((7.6e+02)*(5.7e+02))
> AvrBs2<- MIG-14_Wnt-bd -> XopE1 0 ((3.6e+03)*(3.6e+03))
> XopX<- Zw10 -> XopJ1 0.0218487394957983 ((1.6e+02)*(7e+02))
> XopX<- Zw10 -> XopJ2 0.019327731092437 ((1.6e+02)*(1.7e+03))
> AvrBs1<- 3H -> XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
> AvrBs2<- Ubiq_cyt_C_chap -> XopE1 0 ((7.6e+02)*(1.8e+03))

Thanks for the report.  However, I fail to see what you are trying to do 
in the first place, to state whether the issue is a problem in your 
usage of sort (likely) or a bug in sort itself (less likely, but it has 
been known to happen).  Exactly what order are you expecting?  Column 6 
is not a floating point number, but an arithmetic expression, so asking 
to sort by column 6 doesn't really make sense to me.  Using the new 
(post-8.5) sort --debug feature is telling:

$ sort --debug -k6g test.txt
sort: using `en_US.UTF-8' sorting rules
sort: key 1 is numeric and spans multiple fields
AvrBs1<- 3H ->  XopJ4 0.153061224489796 ((3.4e+02)*(25))
                                        ^ no match for key
________________________________________________________
...

Did you mean sorting by column 5, as in 0.153061224489796, in which case 
you should be using -k5,5g?

Or are you actually trying to sort by the value that would be computed 
if you performed floating point arithmetic on the expressions, such as 
((3.4e+02)*25)) sorting equivalent to 85.0?  Sort does not support 
performing math on a sort column, and I don't think that is a feature 
that anyone has ever been clamoring for; to sort by a computed value, 
you'd have to run the computation independently.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake <at> redhat.com    +1-801-349-2682
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

Message #14 received at 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
To: saddy <sadmail <at> gmx.de>, 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6972: bug in sorting floats
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:10:26 -0600

[forwarding on your mail to the list, to close this out]

On 09/02/2010 11:55 AM, saddy wrote:
> Thanks for your reply. In my last mail some spaces have been lost, so
> now indeed it is line 5 to sort.

The spaces were gone before your original mail hit my inbox.  From the 
mail headers of your original mail, I see you use Thunderbird:

User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US;
	rv:1.9.1.11) Gecko/20100713 Thunderbird/3.0.6

which has a known issue where pasting text or replying to a prior email 
can result in Tbird eating spaces prior to words starting with <, >, and 
&.  That's probably the explanation.

> I've found out that it has been my fault. I have locale de_DE.UTF-8,
> therefore sort is assuming ',' for floats. With en locale it's working
> fine.

Ah, an issue with locales.

And yes, the new 'sort --debug' tries to make locale issues obvious, 
since that's the first thing it outputs:

>> $ sort --debug -k6g test.txt
>> sort: using `en_US.UTF-8' sorting rules

Glad to know it's not a bug.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake <at> redhat.com    +1-801-349-2682
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

Message #17 received at 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jim Meyering <jim <at> meyering.net>
To: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
Cc: 6972 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, saddy <sadmail <at> gmx.de>
Subject: Re: bug#6972: bug in sorting floats
Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:25:24 +0200

tags 6972 + notabug
close 6972
thanks

Eric Blake wrote:
> [forwarding on your mail to the list, to close this out]
...
>
> Glad to know it's not a bug.

Thanks.  Marking as "notabug" and closing.

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